Pancakes are perhaps the most requested breakfast/brunch dish in our house, however, waffles are a close second. The receipt of a new waffle iron this past Christmas has caused them to have many repeat performances over the past few months. While I like the simplicity of my old stove-top waffle maker, the convenience of an electric one can't be beat. If like me, you find yourself multi-tasking while making breakfast, an electric waffle maker with a built in timer is a godsend.

As much as I've always enjoyed waffles, the inconsistency of the recipes I've tried in the past had done a pretty good job of turning me off to them. Some where too heavy, some had crisp bottoms and soggy tops, and some just ended up burnt as I got distracted steaming milk for coffees or setting the table. Simplifying the process with a new waffle maker has allowed me to concentrate on developing delicious recipes rather than trying to find the perfect cooking time and heat setting on the stove. If you find yourself making these with a stove-top waffle maker as I was in the past, know it can be done. Just give the task of making the lattees to someone else, unfortunately they don't mix.

While weekend breakfast are usually an opportunity to treat ourselves and refuel our bodies after a long workout, the combination of wholesome ingredients in this recipe removes all of the guilt. With the combination of both dates and maple syrup, they're delicious all on their own. Of course don't let that stop you from topping them with syrup and vegan butter if that's your thing. Personally I like them straight from the waffle iron, crisp on the outside, and light and fluffy on the inside. A side of fresh fruit, some tofu scramble, and of course a vegan lattee, and I'm ready to conquer the weekend. My favorite part however is that the batter for these is made entirely in the blender. No fussing with multiple bowls, leaving the counters overflowing with items to wash… which if you've ever seen me cook you know its quite common for me to dirty just about every bowl in the kitchen. Stories are still told of how I dirtied 5 bowls making a salad… but that a story for another post… Of course you can choose to whisk these up by hand if you prefer, I won't judge 😉

Maple Walnut Waffles

Makes 5 waffles

2 cups + 2 tablespoons almond milk, or alternative non-dairy milk

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds, mixed with 1/4 cup water

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup coconut oil melted, plus extra for brushing

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 cup roughly chopped medjool dates, approximately 4 large dates

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

Preheat your waffle iron according to manufacturers instructions.

In the jar of a high speed blender add the almond milk, cider vinegar, flax seed mixture, coconut oil, and maple syrup. Blend on high for 15-30 second until combined.

Next add the dates, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pulse the mixture 5-10 times until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated and a few chunks of dates are still visible. If your blender has a batter setting, press it and let it do its thing.

Add the walnuts and pulse until broken up into chunks and incorporated. Alternatively you can chop them by hand and fold them in with a spatula.

Brush the heated waffle iron with coconut oil and add a 1/2 cup measure of batter to the waffle iron, or less depending on the size of your waffle maker. Cook according to the manufactures instructions.

Waffles can be kept warm in an oven preheated to 190°F on a wire rack until ready to server. Avoid putting them directly on a serving platter in the oven as the steam will cause them to go soggy.